Four years after trading for Stefon Diggs, how long will the Bills keep him?
Four years ago today, the Bills traded for Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs. Four days from now, will he still be on the team?
Diggs, who has a history of social-media activity that is sufficiently vague to give him plausible deniability, posted this on X: "Ready for w[h]atever." He also changed the photo at the top of his X page to a picture of himself waving goodbye.
The relationship between Diggs and the Bills has been strained, at times. It came to a boil last June, when he was asked to leave the building on the first day of mandatory minicamp — and when the team initially created the impression that he walked out without permission. Things got back under control and stayed there for the 2023 season, but Diggs got the ball less and less as the year went on.
His most recent 100-yard game happened on October 15. He had 10 catches for 73 yards in two playoff games. It's reaching a point where it arguably doesn't make sense for the Bills to continue the relationship. It also could be reaching a point at which Diggs wants to move on.
When he decided to leave Minnesota (coincidentally, or not, on the same day Kirk Cousins got an extension), Diggs took to Twitter and managed to provoke a trade. Could he do it now?
Right now, probably not. After June 1, possibly.
His $18.5 million salary for 2024 becomes fully guaranteed this weekend. He has a 2024 cap number of $27.854 million. Trading him before June 1 would trigger a cap charge of $31.096 million.
The Bills could cut him before the salary becomes guaranteed. If they do it with a post-June 1 designation, the Bills would take a cap charge of $8.849 million this year and $22.247 million in 2025. But, obviously, they'd get nothing for him.
The dilemma is clear. Do they allow his salary to become fully guaranteed now and trade him later? Do they trade him now? Who would take on his salary and give up the compensation?
Regardless, the Bills have a decision to make this weekend. Trade him before the salary becomes guaranteed, cut him before it becomes guaranteed, let it become guaranteed and trade him after June 1, or let it become guaranteed (possibly with a restructuring to reduce his cap number) and keep him for another year.
However it plays out, we know that Diggs is "ready for w[h]atever."
